The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-02-11

vou this picture We have out in Indiana a
woman's prison. 1t is carried ON by women,
il was thoroughly established and in running
order. they brought the women VINO were over
in an annex in the old penitentiary and re
moved them into this new prison, anu they
had brought them all except one, ana now APP
peared, friends this last one. She was a nag
gard old creature, woman seventy years OF
age thirty OF those years passed in prison.
She had broken every law III the decalogue.
she was known rs the terror of the jail. fonr
Officers came carrying her in an iron chair.
She was in chains and II chain across the froht
of the chair, and they brought her from me
railroad station and set her down on the stone
steps of the women's prison. IN response 10
the bell and to announce ment, The warden,
lady with the Gospel in berlooks ana IN qua
ker garb, came To the door, and seeing TINS
strange repulsiVe sight she rose up 10 Inc
height OF the occasion and in the exercise OF
her prerogatiVe rs an otllcef OF the Jaw, stla
s.take OFF those shackleS. but the men salu,
~Whv madam she has not been out from be-
hind bolts and bars in thirty Years; she Is
most terrific old woman. W hat she might do
to You we would not dare to say: we Will MOI |
be res ponsible for What she might do 81 say,
take on those shackles.' said the warden in
her gentle voice and il was one to be obeyed;
and 90 slowly and circums pectly they deliy
cred the old woman from her chains and there
she sat terrific, free, and the warden stepping
forward and putting her strong and gentle
arms around that poor attenuated form, stoop-
ed over and pressed her warm lips against that
faded cheek. and the poor old woman sank
down upon hei hiiees teiiu ny i.. ~.
the warden, said in voice so pitiiully "D1d
you think / could he better? Did you think |
could be Detter9 Her whole heart broke, and
the two women wept together. That old
woman had not shed atear that anybody ever
knew about before. IT not three weeks
before She protested the name of Christ: it was
not three months until they said she was the
best behaved woman in the prison; ii was not
n year,lntil her name became the angel OF the
Jail Oh, friends, TO me she is the figure of
humanity. Poor old humanity: it never had IL
fair chance yet. Bound down with the fever
ish alcohol dream; bound down with the curse
of encryated appetite shackled and nanacled
by tlaitorous and cowardly laws, that are no
protection to the individual, but place before
YOU temptation on every hand,-poor old hit
inanity. And if We come to it with our better
law and our true pledge and our scientific
temperance instruction and our knowledge of
Gods law written in our memories and in
our blessed word Of Christ, which Is word of
peace and our kind hand. and our cause of
hope, oh, how it shall be lifted up and say to
God 'sDid you think that | could be better
That faith in us will give humanity back its
faith in God that shall be. We are sci for that
defence, and rs there is IL God in Heaven, and
as there IS Evangel in Ills SON, the day
shall moi he long, it hasiens fast
s.W hen the world shall yet be led,
And its heart he comfortcd,